


Hard at Work

by DeeNomilk



Series: Tashok the Dragonborn [7]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Slice of Life, idk how to tag any of my writing help, just an insight on what the college mages are up to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-27 01:41:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18294281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeeNomilk/pseuds/DeeNomilk
Summary: Everyone works hard at the College, even if Tash herself seems to spend more time away from than at The College.





	Hard at Work

Tashok's movements are sluggish as she gets up from bed to prepare for her upcoming excursion away from the College. The previous days have been trying, considering she got more than she bargained for in Saarthal. Fighting the off weak Draugrs was fine enough, it was finding the strange orb and fighting a powerful Draugr that brought back the fight back at Yngol’s Barrow that she could’ve done without. Once she had returned to the College she had made as many potions as she could before heading out to gather more ingredients, which of course led her to bandits camped out in a shipwreck. The only downtime she’s had has been her one on one lectures with Phinis and Drevis, though the ones with the latter tended to be particularly long due to the both of them getting sidetracked, while Phinis tended to simply watch her summon her bow or her Atronach and give her a once-sentence bit of advice.

Once she deemed her stash of potions big enough, off to Windhelm she was to sell them and make sure Sofie was safe inside an inn’s room. She’d been back for less than a day when she had to pack up to head for the region of Falkreath to find Enthir’s staff, since that was what he wanted to trade for the amulet Onmund desperately wanted back…

A sharp knock startles her into dropping the food bowl she was setting up for Pearl, who in turn sprints under the bed at the commotion.

“Yes?!” she yelps.

“Tashok?” Brelyna pokes her head through the doorframe. “I’m sorry did I wake you?”

“No no, come on in…” Tashok yawns as she opens her wardrobe and picks out her travelling outfit. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well, if you have a moment, could you help me with something? I heard you got back last night…”

“Of course! I’ll change up and meet you outside in a minute.”

One change of clothes and a filled food bowl later, Tashok steps out, nodding at Lucien who’s seemingly also woken up to prepare for the journey. Brelyna stops her pacing and walks up to the Orc.

“What would you need help with?” Tashok asks.

“We’re all trying to become better mages, right?” she starts.

“Uh, yes?”

“Well, I need someone I can practice a few spells on. Nothing dangerous, really… Would you be willing to assist me?”

“Sure!” Tashok agrees, before thinking for a moment. “In exchange, I’d like your feedback on a balm I made.”

“A balm…? Oh that’s right, you’re an alchemist!” Brelyna notes before looking a bit nervous. “What, kind of balm is it?”

“A warmth balm, actually.”

“Oh, good…” she sounds relieved. “Then yes, thank you. I was starting to be afraid I’d have to ask J’Zargo...”

Tashok suppresses a laugh. It's true that J'Zargo doesn't make for the best partner.

“Alright, anything I need to do?”

“Just stand there… Hold still, and don’t move.”

Brelyna’s palm shakes for a split second before a light blue sphere of energy ignites within it, which is promptly let loose towards Tashok.

“There! Now I-” Brelyna’s eyes widen. “Oh dear, that wasn’t supposed to happen?”

“What happened?” Tashok blinks, her vision suddenly becoming discoloured.

“Do you… do you feel alright? You look very, um, green.”

“I’m an Orc." Tashok deadpans. "I’m always green.”

Lucien’s hearty laugh can be heard from behind them.

“Well… More… Green.” Brelyna steps forward, eyeing Tashok for any other changes besides the obvious. “I’m so very sorry… I went over this again and again. I was sure it’d have better results!”

This was embarrassing, and what was worse was not knowing why the spell didn’t work. She expects Tashok to become angry, or start questioning her skills, but she simply holds out her hand and inspects it.

“This… isn’t permanent, is it?” Tashok laughs nervously.

“It’s not!” Brelyna answers a bit too fast. “I mean, it shouldn’t be… You’ll be back to normal in no time. And when you are we can try this again, and I’ll be sure to get it right.”

“Alright, that’ll be in about a week, then. Now for your side of the bargain…”

Tashok rushes to her room and digs in her chest, producing a small jar with a purple-red substance inside.

“Here.” she hands over the jar with a gleeful smile. “Don’t rub it on sensitive areas, including wounds, eyes, lips, mouth and, well, privates, or anywhere else where skin is more irritable. Make sure you wash or rinse your hands after so you don’t end up with an irritated eye for a few hours. Let me know how it feels: how quick the sensation comes, how strong it is and how long it lasts. And if you have another notes, let me know as well.”

“Will do.” Brelyna inspects the jar, letting light shine through the thick substance inside and shaking it slightly.

“I suppose I should head off to Shriekwind’s Bastion now…” Tashok glances at her travelling pack and goes to fetch it. “I’ve got to go get something for Enthir, and from what I can tell the place is will be full of Draugr, so I’ll get to test J’Zargo’s scrolls at the same time.”

“Goodness me, we’re keeping you busy…”

“That you are.” Lucien leans on the edge of the pool of light, travelling gear already on. “At least you’re not sending us into a crypt full of Draugrs, and who knows what else…”

“Chin up, Lucien!” Tashok throws her knapsack over her shoulders, which practically makes her topple over. “Just think of all the notes you’ll be able to take about the architecture and the things we could find in there! You had such a great time in Saarthal!”

“True. It is a bit harder to take notes when we’re fighting for our lives, however.”

“We just need to get better at being sneaky… You got those invisibility potions I gave you?”

“I do indeed, I assume you’ve got everything as well?”

The two friends quickly finish gathering their things and disappear from view and into the snowfall outside. Brelyna can’t help but silently wonder how much progress Tashok can actually make considering she constantly leaves the College grounds, sometimes for days at a time. She does recall her mentioning Windhelm often… perhaps she has family there, or even a lover? Regardless, how she manages to create as many potions as she does, without a mentor, baffles Brelyna. Tolfdir has been quite patient with Brelyna and helped her tremendously in making progress in Alteration Magic. She’d been unsure of her teacher at first, but his eagerness to impart knowledge and understanding of her limits proved quite beneficial to her learning experience.

She sighs.

Clearly she still has a lot to learn.

Brelyna spends the rest of the day pouring over texts, trying to determine where she went wrong with her spell. She’s thankful her fellow apprentice didn’t make a scene, at the very least. Come to think of it, Tashok doesn’t seem like the type of person to make a scene, or to willingly attract attention at herself at all.

Brelyna understands the feeling quite well.

Coming to Winterhold had been her beacon of hope, her opportunity to finally be able to work at her own pace without having a dozen pair of eyes scrutinizing her performance. Had this happened back in Morrowind, her teachers and family members would’ve lectured her for hours on all the ways she went wrong, and what she needed to do to get it right. But Brelyna can figure this out herself. How is she supposed to ever learn if she doesn’t make mistakes?

The only person here who seems adamant on watching her every more and even sometimes interrupts her studies is Ancano. Granted, it seems he’s always pestering the other members as well, often walking in on experiments and compromising them.

At least he doesn’t feel the need to comment on her work, he instead just scoffs and walks away.

She opens up the book and begins reading, time becoming inconsequential to her. Her eyes, unfortunately, begin to tire and glaze over as she re-reads the same chapter for what must be the twentieth time when she hears her door creak open.

She glances to the source of the sound and sees something that bewilders her.

A cat.

A grey, fluffy cat with gold eyes, sniffing the air in her room with relaxed curiosity.

“Where…” is all that comes out of her mouth as the creature creeps farther into her room.

It eventually nears her legs, which it sniffs before gracefully rubbing against her ankle.

Where did this thing come from? She glances about and out into the hallway but sees no one nearby.

The cat seems to be beckoning her for attention, as it rubs slightly harder against her before looking at her expectantly. Wherever this cat came from, it clearly belongs to someone, the lavender coloured bow loosely tied around its neck makes this quite obvious.

“Well, you’re certainly friendly…” Brelyna extends her hand to pet the cat, which eagerly welcomes the affection and starts purring.

A small smile spreads across her lips.

“Mh… Perhaps I do need a break…” she tells herself as she closes the book before reaching once again for the fluffy visitor.

—

“Have you noticed a cat around here?” she asks Onmund when the two of them meet in the Arcaneum.

“I have!” Onmund exclaims, clearly glad he wasn’t the only person to notice the animal. “I wonder who it belongs to…”

“J’Zargo is a person, and belongs to no one!” J’Zargo cries from a few bookshelves over.

“No, not you! A real, small cat…!” Onmund raises his hands defensively.

“J’Zargo knows.” he chuckles. “He is simply jesting with you.”

“Do you know who it belongs to?” Brelyna asks.

“Mh, J’Zargo has his suspicions…”

“Who is it?”

J’zargo gives them a cheeky grin as he shrugs before resuming his reading of **_The Mystery of Talara, Book 1_**.

“He probably doesn’t actually know.” Onmund huffs. “I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough anyways. Not that it really even matters…”

“I’m glad we have a cat around…” Brelyna smiles. “My old master wouldn't let us keep any pets. Said the fur made her eyes itchy and watery.”

“That sounds rather unpleasant… Growing up on a farm I’ve always been surrounded by animals, so I was used to them as much as my family. Truth be told that was one of the strangest things about being here. I don’t miss the smell though…”

“I wouldn’t miss is either.” Brelyna chuckles. “I quite like it here, despite the cold. It’s not as bad as everyone else made it out to be.”

“Heard a lot of bad things?” Onmund’s eyebrows knit together slightly.

“Mostly about how _inferior_ ," Brelyna rolls her eyes. "it was to studying in Morrowind or even Cyrodiil…”

“I see…”

Onmund seems deep in thought, or at the very least bothered by something.

“It’s nonsense, really.” Brelyna states while waving her hand dismissively. “Just because the reputation isn’t the same, doesn’t mean the quality of education is any lesser. Like J'Zargo said, everywhere else is all about politics... The College of Winterhold actually cares about learning.”

“Right.” Onmund looks down with a small smile.

—

A few days later, Brelyna is standing outside her room, reading her book when the cat that had taken to sitting at her feet perks up.

“What is it?” she asks her new companion.

The cat stands up quickly and behinds meowing loudly as it trots outside her room. Curiosity leads Brelyna to follow, and sees the cat pawing at the doors that lead to the courtyard, meowing even louder than before.

A few seconds later and the door swings open, letting Tashok and Lucien into the warmth of the Hall of Attainment.

“Hi precious!” Tashok squeals as she scoops up the cat, who’s now purring loudly and meowing at a few intervals. “Oh you missed me, didn’t you?”

“This is your cat?!” Brelyna asks.

“Wha…” Tashok looks to Brelyna. “Oh, yes. This is Pearl… wonderful little thing, isn’t he?”

“He’s certainly been keeping us company… How did the trip go?”

“Oh, it was awful! I mean, I got the staff, and I tested J’Zargo’s scrolls…. But hear this: there was a teeny bit more than just Draugrs in there…”

She lets Pearl down.

“Vampires…” Lucien cries out. “The place was filled with vampires!”

“And J’Zargo’s flame cloaks almost killed me as much as it killed them!”

Tashok throws her bag onto her room’s floor with a loud thud before letting herself flop onto her bed face-first.

“Well, at least my spell wore off…” Brelyna says, following her into the room.

“Yes, there’s that at least…” Tashok mumbles into the sheets before turning her head towards her. “Did you get to work on it?”

“I did, just let me know when you’re ready and we can try again.”

“Right… I’l get back at you after supper… I’ve got to deliver this staff here and give J’Zargo his feedback. And I’d like a bit of a break too.”

“Of course! Take all the time you need.” Brelyna reassures her before heading out her friend’s room. “Goodness knows you deserve it.”

Tashok buries her face back into the covers and gives her a thumbs up while Pearl goes to settle on the bed.

—

One staff down, an amulet gained, scrolls dropped off, a few different animal shapes and lots of Lucien’s laughter later, Tashok approaches Onmund after one of Faralda’s lectures on Destruction Magic.

“Hey Onmund.” she greets him.

“Tashok! You’re back!” he smiles. “What’s on your mind?”

“I’ve got your amulet…” she takes it out of her pocket and hands it to him.

“Ah! I didn’t think he’d actually give it back!” he beams as he takes it in his hands. “Thank you friend, it’s good to know I can count on you.”

“Always. I’m glad I could help.” Tashok can’t help but smile at his happiness.

“You have no idea… I hadn’t realized I cared about it, or my family, until it was gone…”

“Your family… why don’t they approve of magic?”

Onmund shifts nervously.

"Well, look at the evidence…” he starts. “Nords generally don't trust magic, so it's not off to a good start. Throw in the Oblivion Crisis, which was caused by magic-users, and now the troubles with the Aldermeri Dominion, who are Elves and magic users. And finally take the fact that the College is practically the only thing left standing after most of Winterhold was destroyed. Its all fairly damning.”

“But no one knows how Winterhold was destroyed.” Tashok comments. “Seems to me the College is just very well built.”

“Maybe so… But that’s not how most Nords see it. Most certainly not how my family sees it… What about you?”

Tashok stares at him, trying to understand his question.

“What about me?” she inquires.

“Your family.” Onmund clarifies. “What’s their opinion on magic?”

“I… uh. I don’t know.”

Onmund quirks an eyebrow.

“You never asked? And they never mentioned it?” he asks.

“No, it’s just — I don’t really, have a family, per say. Not anymore at least.” Tashok explains, her hands flailing around as she talks. “A few Orcs that may or may not be my siblings… But they all left a while ago, and we were raised by the dock workers.”

“Oh, I see.” Onmund seems embarrassed. “Sorry…”

“What for?”

“I don’t know… reminding you you don’t have a family?”

“Oh…” Tashok chuckles. “It’s fine, really. I guess the dock workers were the closest thing… And to answer your question; High Rock is pretty welcoming of magic in general, so it’s all over the place. As for my Orc parents… I don’t know. Perhaps? I don’t know very much about Orsimer culture… Add in the fact I don’t know where they were from…”

“Right…I uh, didn’t know you were from High Rock.”

“Yes! I landed over in Windhelm about two weeks ago, almost three.”

Onmund’s eye widen with concern.

“Oh, that’s a shame…” he says, rubbing his neck.

“What?! Why?” Tashok is bewildered.

“That it's the first place you saw.I know Windhelm’s not exactly the friendliest of places for non-Nords…” he admits. “Even more so for those who weren’t born in Skyrim.”

“I noticed.”

“Someone give you trouble?” there’s a flash of… something in her fellow apprentice’s eyes.

“Not really me, per say. I mean, I get less vitriol than in High Rock that’s for certain… Just, I heard a lot of comments.”

Onmund sighs, eyes trailing to the side.

“Skyrim’s actually not that bad, really…” he trails off.

“I know.” Tashok replies.

“I mean we have plenty of history, and not everyone is as…” Onmund blinks before looking at Tashok. “What?”

“I said I know.” she smiles. “I’ve met some nice people. I’m glad I’m here.”

“Good!” Onmund grins. “I’m glad you’re here too! I mean, to have you as a fellow apprentice, a-and a friend…”

“You are?” Tashok blushes, visibly taken by surprise.

“I mean, yes you’ve proven yourself reliable… Not that there’s nothing else to you!” it’s Onmund’s turn to blush. “I mean, we haven’t known each other for that long but you seem like a layered person…”

This is enough to take Tashok out of her surprised state.

“Layered?” Tashok snorts with mirth.

It’s at this moment that J’Zargo walks in on their conversation.

“J’Zargo sees that you are free, now.” he says to Onmund. “Will you take up J’Zargo’s offer to help him with wards?”

“Uh…” Onmund frowns slightly.

“Why don’t I help?” Tashok suggests. “After what those scroll did, I would _just_  love to hurl some fireballs at you.”

“Ah! This is payback, then?” J’Zargo laughs. “Very well, J’Zargo will let you have your fun… Not that your Destruction magic is very threatening…”

“At least I _know_ some…” Tashok quips. “Do you even know more than one Conjuration spell? Or Illusion? Or Restoration?”

“All right, all right.” J’Zargo leads her to the, now empty, main hall. “Show J’Zargo what you’ve got.”

Tashok hesitates for a moment, not wanting to set foot into the Hall housing the Saarthal discovery, but J'zargo's arms around her force her to duffle forward.

**Author's Note:**

> Bit of an ominous end with the Eye. That thing might be beautiful but it gives me the heebie-jeebies...


End file.
